By Joe Smith

How do you get a harder slap shot? Do you watch videos of NHLers taking them? Do you go to the gym and use the bench press until you can’t move anymore? Both of those options wouldn’t hurt your chances, but the best way to improve is to practice! If you want to improve your slap shot you need to take slap shots. It’s not flashy or fancy, it’s not the latest and greatest technique. It’s not even rocket science, but it works. It’s similar with our relationship to God. I am not comparing a monotonous exercise to spending time with God because hockey players love getting on the ice. Taking shot after shot is an enjoyable experience and that can be the same outlook on our time with God. In order to improve your relationship you need to spend time with him. You need to read about God (the Bible), but most importantly you need to talk to God. Is there any better way to improve a relationship?

Let’s say you have Bob sitting across the room from you and you want to get to know Bob. You’re not just going to sit there, read his bio in the yearbook and leave thinking you now know Bob. He had a great year, he plays badminton, and he hates Social studies. Would you claim that you know Bob on a personal level after such a short time? I doubt it! The Bible certainly speaks to us and gives a lot more information on God than a simple yearbook paragraph, but the point is that because of Jesus we now have instant access to God the Father. Anytime we want we can talk to him. We can share our thoughts, fears, and goals with him. We can ask him for guidance and wisdom. We can simply ask for help. Prayer is an amazing honor and a great way to get to know our creator.

In the Old Testament we find a man by the name of Habakkuk. We don’t know much about him as far as background information, but we do know that he was a little upset with God and called out to Him for answers. He could not understand how God could simply “do nothing” while all of this evil was going on in the World (some questions never change). Habakkuk certainly wasn’t skeptical when it came to the power of God, but wanted to know more. He wanted to understand the methods and means God was using to carry out his judgment. Now as we said, the Bible does speak to us about God and it shows here that Habakkuk spoke with the Lord. He brought his questions and concerns to him. It seems almost like an argument, but through communication Habakkuk was able to gain a deeper understanding of God. God is in control of all things and we can take comfort in that fact. We don’t know the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ with regards to the evil that is allowed to go on in this world, but we know that God has promised to return, make everything right, and offer his protection and guidance leading up to that amazing day.

To make this reality more real in our own lives, we can’t just read a short paragraph. We need to spend time in God’s Word. To know as much as we can about God and his ways, we must be eager to go where God is, just like we would if we wanted to improve as hockey players.

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